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Getting our priorities straight

As a parent, I spend a lot of time thinking about our family’s budget. Do we take a spring break trip, or contribute to the kids’ college fund? Do we eat out less to offset rising health insurance premiums? Every day, we weigh wants against needs and make choices based on what really matters. We ought to do the same thing at the Legislature when we’re spending taxpayer money. But right now, priorities are way out of whack. When it’s your own paycheck, the decisions are clear. When it’s public dollars, things get blurry and sometimes warped. Take the $40 million ...

Lessons learned from Metro Surge should never be forgotten

After an anxious winter, Minnesota’s Operation Metro Surge has mostly turned into yesterday’s news. Things have quieted down in the Twin Cities. No major new surges have been launched in other places. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, a division of the Department of Homeland ...

On the Porch

The social news or gossip columns in the old newspapers are always fascinating to read. A special section in the newspaper was devoted to the social media of the day. The whereabouts of local people and events were often featured in these columns. Here are a few from The News Messenger of Lyon ...

Staying on track when markets feel uncertain

Geopolitical developments, economic policy changes, inflation data, and interest rate shifts regularly influence the markets. While recent headlines may feel unsettling, market volatility is not unusual — and uncertainty has always been part of investing. What often matters most during these ...

Controlling how much we eat

A challenging situation that psychologists may encounter is someone who wants to lose weight. They may sincerely want to lose weight, but they then find many ways to sabotage their progress. For many people, controlling how much they eat presents a major struggle. Their self-control melts away when faced with something tasty and delicious. Regulating how much they should eat is out the window. When the food is in front of you, and you are free to eat as much as you want, a large amount of food may be consumed.: Part of the challenge is controlling how much you eat, while you are ...